The world’s top Counter-Strike 2 esports teams are competing in Chengdu, China, in the final major offline tournament before the Budapest Major. The tournament’s group stage is set to deliver thrilling matches right from the start.
I’m so excited for the Intel Extreme Masters in Chengdu next month! It kicks off with the Group Stage from November 3rd to 5th, and it’s going to be intense. All the teams are fighting it out in a double-elimination bracket, which means they have to lose twice before they’re out, and only six of them will make it to the Playoffs!
The first part of the tournament will feature a blend of strong and developing teams. We’re likely to see some surprising wins and early battles between the top contenders.
- Stream
- Schedule
- Broadcast talent
- Group Stage matchups and results
- Group A
- Group B
- Upset chances and big rivalries in CS2 esports
How to watch CS2 IEM Chengdu 2025 Groups: Stream
You can watch all the matches from the ESL Counter-Strike IEM Chengdu 2025 tournament on the official ESL Counter-Strike YouTube and Twitch channels. The main stream from the Group Stage is available here, embedded above.
Tournament schedule at Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2025
Okay, so I’m checking out the IEM Chengdu 2025 Group Stage schedule, and each day is packed with Counter-Strike 2 matches. Here’s what’s happening on Monday, November 3rd.
| Estimate start time | Stream A | Stream B |
|---|---|---|
| 3 a.m. CET / 9 p.m. ET, Nov. 2 | TYLOO vs Falcons | FURIA vs Lynn Vision Gaming |
| 5:30 a.m. CET / 11:30 p.m. ET, Nov. 2 | MOUZ vs FaZe | Vitality vs Virtus.pro |
| 8 a.m. CET / 2 a.m. ET | The MongolZ vs HEROIC | G2 Esports vs 3DMAX |
| 10:30 a.m. CET / 4:30 a.m. ET | Astralis vs NAVI | paiN Gaming vs Team Spirit |
Broadcast talent
This image showcases the talented team providing commentary and data analysis for the IEM Chengdu 2025 stream.
Group Stage matchups and results
Sixteen teams will compete in the IEM Chengdu 2025 tournament. They’ll be split into two groups and play in a double-elimination format. The top three teams from each group will move on to the Playoffs. The group winners will automatically qualify for the semifinals, while those finishing second and third will start in the quarterfinals.
Group A
Group B
Upset chances and big rivalries in CS2 esports
The Group Stage matchups at Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2025 have clear tendencies.
- Starting matches are between the top-seeded teams and underdogs.
- The following group semifinals will most likely be filled with huge battles between some of the currently strongest teams in Counter-Strike 2 esports.
Underdog power
It’s hard to predict which underdogs might win, but several teams show real promise – and that extends beyond just the first round.
- paiN Gaming: These players have a limited presence at big tournaments, and when they do play, paiN make waves. The team reached the top 4 at the Austin Major. As for the most recent result, paiN Gaming were in the top 8 at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025.
- Astralis: In Round 1, the unstable performance of Astralis faces the same shakiness of NAVI. Natus Vincere fell victim to a reverse sweep from FURIA at Thunderpick World Championship 2025. Everything can happen after that.
- 3DMAX: Their upset chances are also built upon the instability of the top opponents, G2 Esports. 3DMAX reached the top 8 at EPL Season 22, and they defeated G2 in the advancement match.
- FaZe Clan: Yes, it’s true, FaZe are generally considered underdogs now. They play against MOUZ in the first match. The hope for an upset comes from the EPL S22 victory of FaZe over Team Spirit. Also, it’s really happening: Jakub “jcobbb” Pietruszewski replaced Håvard “rain” Nygaard in FaZe’s roster.
Clashes of the favorites
We might see some of the same matchups in the playoffs that we saw during the group stage of IEM Chengdu 2025. This gives the best teams a better chance to prepare and practice before those important matches.
- Vitality and MOUZ can play even in the group semifinal. It’s a long rivalry, with a record in favor of Vitality. After winning ESL Pro League Season 22, Team Vitality can bring their tournament-winning streak.
- Falcons were surprisingly good at EPL S22. They can face Spirit in the group semifinal, which is an exciting matchup considering the record of both teams.
- FURIA are among the tournament favorites as well. They won two relatively big tournaments recently: Thunderpick World Championship 2025 and FISSURE Playground #2.
MongolZ are heading to IEM Chengdu 2025 with a roster change, bringing in Unudelger “controlez” Baasanjargal to replace Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold, who is currently on the bench. The team hasn’t been performing as well lately, so this switch could be a way to improve their results.
The Playoffs at Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2025 go on from Nov. 6 to Nov. 9.
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2025-11-02 17:41